飢餓(きが)

きが
noun
hunger; starvation; famine
formalwritten
1. hunger; starvation; famine
Severe lack of food, ranging from extreme hunger to widespread famine. Used in serious or formal contexts about food crises and deprivation.
飢餓(きが)に苦(くる)しむ。
To suffer from hunger.
世界(せかい)では多(おお)くの人(ひと)が飢餓(きが)に直面(ちょくめん)している。
Many people around the world are facing starvation.
戦争(せんそう)によって引(ひ)き起(お)こされた飢餓(きが)で、何百万(なんびゃくまん)もの命(いのち)が失(うしな)われた。
Millions of lives were lost to famine caused by war.

A formal word used in news, academic, and humanitarian contexts. Common collocations include 飢餓(きが)に苦(くる)しむ (to suffer from starvation), 飢餓(きが)に直面(ちょくめん)する (to face famine), and 飢餓(きが)状態(じょうたい) (state of starvation). For everyday hunger, お腹(なか)が空(す)いた or 空腹(くうふく) is used instead. 飢饉(ききん) (famine) refers specifically to a large-scale food crisis affecting a region.

Related Words

Related: 空腹(くうふく) (hunger, empty stomach)
Compare: 食糧難(しょくりょうなん) (food shortage)
Compare: 飢(う)え (hunger, starvation)
Compare: 栄養失調(えいようしっちょう) (malnutrition)
general
Added 2026.3.23 14:29 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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